Conference Speakers & Agenda
From research talks and panels to workshops and networking, our schedule is designed to spark dialogue, share diverse perspectives, and celebrate the richness of diasporic expression. We invite you to browse the full agenda and join us for an inspiring weekend of movement, conversation, and connection.
Please click on each speaker's headshot to view their full abstract.
day 1: session 1
Panel: Dance in the Boston Ethos
Saturday, September 27
8:25 AM
Thomas Tull Concert Hall
Explore the vibrant history and evolution of Indian Classical Dance in the Boston area.
This session will spotlight distinctive local organizations and programs that have shaped and enriched the region’s cultural landscape.
prof. hari arthanari
President, MITHAS
neena gulati
Founder/Director, Triveni School of Dance
jeyanthi ghatraju
Artistic Director, Natyanjali
sapna govindan
Founder, Rasik
priya bangal
Founder, Rasik
dr. smitha radhakrishnan
Artistic Director, Natya Dance Collective
soumya rajaram
Artistic Director, Samskriti
day 1: session 2
New Worlds,
New Experiences
Saturday, September 27
9:00 AM
Thomas Tull Concert Hall
Stories of immigration, travel, and navigating new worlds through dance.
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Sonali Skandan
Artistic Director,
Jiva Performing Arts
Presentation & Discussion of New Works
"Lessons from My Mothers"
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neelambaree prasad
Dancer/Choreographer
Research Talk
"ClimArts: Choreographing Change – Bridging Dance, Storytelling, and Climate Communication"
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hema rajagopalan
Artistic Director,
Natya Dance Theatre
Panelist
"Abhinaya in Translation: Expression Across Contexts"
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mesma belsaré
Dancer/Choreographer
Presentation & Discussion of New Works
"The Alchemy of Displacement: How Diaspora Bodies Carry and Transform Tradition"
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dr. anita vallabh
Writer, Dancer, Dance Critic
Panel Moderator
"Abhinaya in Translation: Expression Across Contexts"
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parul shah
Artistic Director,
Parul Shah Dance Company
Panelist
"Abhinaya in Translation: Expression Across Contexts"
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shambhavi dandekar
Artistic Director-Founder, Shambhavi's International School of Kathak
Presentation & Discussion of New Works
"The Light Within...
Hori With a New Direction"
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sujatha srinivasan
Artistic Director,
Shri Kalaa Mandir
Presentation & Discussion of New Works
"MANAS: The Charioteer Within"
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shivani joshi
Dancer, Choreographer
Research Talk
"Khayal in Motion: Exploring Khayal Bandishes as Narrative Vehicles in
Present-Day Kathak"
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deepta seshadri
Dancer, Choreographer
Presentation & Discussion of New Works
"Between Then and Now"
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shefali jain
Lecturer -Theatre, Dance, and
Performance Studies, Tufts University
Research Talk
"The Courtesan: A Forgotten Lineage"
day 1: session 3
Dancing the Archive, Feeling the Future
Saturday, September 27
10:40 AM
Thomas Tull Concert Hall
Reimagining traditional repertoire in modern contexts.
day 1: poster session
Saturday, September 27
12:15 PM
Atrium - Thomas Tull Concert Hall
dr. bianca iannitti
"Preserving and Embodying the Kandappa–T. Balasaraswati Tradition"
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shobhitha ravi
"Reimagining Bharatanatyam Pedagogy for Adult Students"
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vinita venugopal
"The Kathak Dilution"
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divya rajan
"Impact of Bharatanatyam Fractal Sequences on Neuronal Responses and Stress Reduction"
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varshini sudhakar
"Vivadanugatha Varnanam- Bharathanatyam's Representation of Women in Epics"
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sumati ram-mohan
"Smarana: Ritual Dance of the Tiruttani Temple"
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janani ganesh
"Neurons in Natyam"
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meghma banerjee
"Math in Motion: Unveiling Rhythms of the Universe"
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CAREspaces foundation
"Beyond #metoo Movements: Designing Culturally-Responsive Initiatives that Address Identity-Based Misconduct in Transnational Indian Arts Communities"
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the aseemkala initiative
"Bridging Medicine and Classical Dance Narratives: Using Kunti’s Choice To Teach Reproductive Autonomy"
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wendy jehlen
"ANIKAYA's Conference of the Birds: Intersection of dance, identity and community"
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day 1: session 4
Embodied Inquiry
Saturday, September 27
1:00 PM
Thomas Tull Concert Hall
An exploration of movement through deep questioning ranging from injury prevention, to the haptic experience of dance.
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chinmaya vedantam
Dancer, MA Psychology
Research Talk
"Churning the Divine: Oral Epistemologies and the Sciences of Kalapam in Kuchipudi Tradition"
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keerthana venkatesh
BS Biomedical Engineering Cd.
Research Talk
"Embodied Geometry in Bharatanatyam: A Framework for 3D Human Motion Analysis"
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dr. kaustavi sarkar
Associate Professor of Dance,
UNC Charlotte
Research Talk
"Pedagogy of Focus: Diaspora in Motion"
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dr. krithika swaminathan
Postdoctoral Scholar in Bioengineering, Stanford University
Research Talk
"Quantitative Dance Biomechanics to a Multi-Dimensional Sensory Experience"
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kiran james
Dancer, Choreographer
Panel Moderator
"State of the Artist / Pathways to Professionalism"
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tanveer alam
Dancer, Choreographer, Teacher
Panelist
"State of the Artist / Pathways to Professionalism"
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dr. shekhar viswanathan
Board Member,
Indian Fine Arts Academy, San Diego
Panelist
"The Curators' Compass: Navigating Art, Experience, and Impact"
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lata pada
Founder and Artistic Director Emerita SAMPRADAYA Dance Creations
Panelist
"The Curators' Compass: Navigating Art, Experience, and Impact"
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sonali skandan
Artistic Director, Jiva Performing Arts
Panelist
"State of the Artist / Pathways to Professionalism"
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prof. hari arthanari
President, MITHAS
Associate Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard
Panel Moderator
"The Curators' Compass: Navigating Art, Experience, and Impact"
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dr. erik holmgren
Mass Cultural Council
Panelist
"The Curators' Compass: Navigating Art, Experience, and Impact"
day 1: session 5
Sustaining the Spark
Saturday, September 27
2:00 PM
Thomas Tull Concert Hall
How do we sustain a career in the arts?
day 1: Working groups
Emerging Challenges in the
Indian Classical Dance Landscape
Saturday, September 27
3:20 PM
Thomas Tull Concert Hall
vani krishnamurthy
Founder and Executive Director,
Arts India US
MITHAS evening dance series
Tickets sold separately or in conjunction with conference passes
Saturday, September 27
7:00 PM
Thomas Tull Concert Hall
Featuring
Priyadarsini Govind's Yavanika
&
Anubhava Dance Company's Explorations
day 2: Workshops
Sunday, September 28
9:00 AM
Harvard Dance Center
session A.
into the body: movement, memory, and mechanics
Sunday, September 28
Harvard Dance Center
This track focuses on movement-based practice and embodied knowledge, with sessions that help deepen technique and bodily awareness.
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dr. pranamya suri
Creative Director, Natyanjali
Kuchipudi Dance School
Dance Anatomy and Injuries
60 mins
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anugraha sridhar
Dancer, Choreographer
Karanas: Nāṭyaśāstra Pedagogy for Training the Dancing Body
60 mins
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dr. shriya srinivasan
Assistant Professor
of Bioengineering, Harvard
Co-Artistic Director,
Anubhava Dance Company
Biomechanics of Dance
15 mins
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dr. lavanya rajagopalan
Executive Artistic Director,
Silambam Houston
Grant-writing for the Arts
30 mins
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manasa jayanthi
Artistic Director,
Nrityanjali School of Dance
Founder, Manasa Arts LLC
Art and Agency: Financial Wellness for South Asian Dance Artist
20 mins
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navya maitri konda
Dancer
Speaking Dance: Articulating Your Artistic Story
20 mins
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vaibu mohan
Associate Artistic Director,
Silambam Phoenix
Bridging Traditions: Expanding Bharatanatyam’s Reach through Artistic Collaboration
20 mins
session B.
art & enterprise: practical tools for creative careers
Sunday, September 28
Harvard Dance Center
This track offers practical, skill-building sessions for dancers and arts professionals seeking to grow their work and make it more sustainable.